USGS · October 6, 2026
Magnitude 2.6 earthquake near Yucaipa, California
A magnitude 2.6 earthquake was recorded near 4 km NNW of Big Bear City, CA on Oct 6, 2026, 01:40 AM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7), at a depth of about 4.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 18 people · community intensity III (weak)Shallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-06 16:37 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 2.6 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 4 km NNW of Big Bear City, CA
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 6, 2026, 01:40 AM — PDT, UTC-7
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-06 08:40 UTC
- Depth
- 4.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 34.294, -116.862
- Felt reports
- Felt by 18 people · community intensity III (weak)
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 110 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 100 seismic stations used · 29° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 28,190 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 4,845,497 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Big Bear City | 3.9 km SSE | 12,304 |
| Big Bear Lake | 7.2 km SW | 5,213 |
| Lucerne Valley | 19.3 km NNW | 5,811 |
| Running Springs | 24.7 km WSW | 4,862 |
| Lake Arrowhead | 30.5 km W | 12,424 |
| Yucaipa | 33.4 km SSW | 53,328 |
| Mentone | 35.4 km SW | 8,720 |
| Highland | 36.9 km WSW | 54,854 |
| Calimesa | 37.1 km SSW | 8,542 |
| Cherry Valley | 37.3 km SSW | 6,362 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in California.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
3 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 4 km NNW of Big Bear City, CA
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 4 km NNW of Big Bear City, CA earthquake?
Magnitude 2.6 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 4.0 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Oct 6, 2026, 01:40 AM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7). In universal time: 2026-10-06 08:40 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 18 people · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Big Bear City, 3.9 km SSE (population 12,304).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.3 (The 1992 Landers, California Earthquake, 1992), and 3 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), in Venezuela FUNVISIS and in Brazil the RSBR through the Centro de Sismologia da USP. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.